Are Triathletes worth the dues they pay toward Masters Swimming?
I say we force all Triathletes to spend one day a week in the sprint lane, one day a week doing stroke (i.e. IM) work, and then make them focus on their starts and turns.
This invasion needs to be controlled.... :-)
John Smith
:)
Former Member
Actually, for the most part I'm serious. I can't get to Dynamo at the time they practice (given the location) or I would be guilty of abandoning my family. I've called a couple of (USMS) listed clubs and they are closed. GA Tech is only open at night so I'm stuck.
I stand corrected the an OW swim did exist in 1896. I was thinking of the pool swim which came later. Thank you.
I have gone to IAAF and USATF meets; they are huge! Mostly sprinters though. I think the demise of T&F is that we have no great distance athletes. At Least like the old days.
I really enjoy swimming and hope to improve and compete. But from growing up in the south and living in two major metro areas, I find swimming just isn't that popular by the number of participants and events to go to. This weekend in Metro atlanta there are several major running events. There are zero swimming events. The two pools in Atlanta I go to are usually empty.
We have them on our team. They're good swimmers, capable of all four strokes, and they do all the stroke sets the coach gives, not just free. No problems at all.
Fort you know there are only 2 strokes any one should swim - fly and crawl. Those other 2 strokes you talk about are not worth swimming and I rate them with the side stroke.
:rofl: Yes the intense isometric contractions of the thumbs and index and middle fingers to hold the cards.....the intense moving of the wrist........wow! We're not worthy.:bow:
Try moving your arms and legs. Swimmers call this stroking and kicking.
Wet suits are for the weak, or triathletes, take your pick.
My have times changed! :thhbbb:
One positive aspect of the surge in triathlon popularity is the spillover into open water swimming popularity. Now we swimmers just need to convince the tri crowd to lengthen the swim leg. Consider the time difference: a 2.4 mile swim takes 40 mins or so. A marathon run is at least a 3+ hour slog. Equitable?
Hopper
http://www.swimvacation.com
I agree that the swim leg should be lengthened in a triathlon. It's just an inequitable warm up at present.
I'm all for OW swimming as well. I'm all for anything that gets people exercising and excited about exercising. And I admire distance swimmers, as well as all endurance athletes. (I agree with Geek though -- no wet suits please!)
But, and I'll probably get killed for this, I wish OW swimming didn't come at the expense of pool swimming. I sometimes feel like masters swimmers default to OW because it's easier than doing 4 strokes in a pool. Watching beautiful strokes in the pool is utterly amazing ... just as good or better than watching people battle and conquer the waves. When triathletes sneer at real swimmers -- and they do -- I find it vaguely offensive. Mutual respect would be preferable.
